Dr. Laura Austin, PhD has been working with children and their families since 1993. After training to work with kids in both mental health and medical settings, Dr. Austin transitioned to an intensive Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) program in 2003. Dr. Austin spent 20 years helping children and families navigate the complicated world of PFD alongside speech, occupational and physical therapists, dietitians, physicians and many other medical professionals. To further expand the services she can provide, Dr. Austin obtained certification in PC-CARE, an innovative therapy program providing hands-on training to allow parents to better connect with their kids, while also learning effective strategies to manage problem behaviors. Dr. Austin has published research in the area of feeding disorders and has collaborated with other PFD specialists to provide training courses to parents and professionals. She has been featured on newscasts and in print media as she shares her passion for effective diagnosis and treatment of PFD.
After working for area children’s hospitals since 2001, Dr. Austin moved into private practice in early 2024. Dr. Austin works both in person and over telehealth. Feeding and parenting services can be provided individually or in a group setting. Dr. Austin has spent her career partnering with other professionals, particularly feeding therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and gastroenterologists. Dr. Austin can help differentiate picky eating from problem feeding, and Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) from Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). She can then guide families on to the best next steps. To learn more visit www.austinpetriepsychology.com or email DrLauraAustin@gmail.com.